Transformers: Edge of Humanity
by Merlander01
Summary: Continuation of the Transformers series. With the Decepticon threat near null the Autobots enjoy a reprieve, only to have it shattered with Decepticon uprisings and an unexpected messenger bringing news of a danger beyond the horizon.
1. Prologue

**Transformers: Edge of Humanity**

**Prologue**

A young man with short brown hair and brown eyes stumbled through the door with bags both piled in his arms and hanging from them. He hopped a little awkwardly as he jerked the key from its place in the door.

"Caw-wee!" he called around the envelopes in his mouth.

He hefted a bag on his left only to unbalance the entire pile and send it tumbling to the ground. He took only a moment to mourn the mess before struggling to gather it all up. The process ended with him squatting and supporting the bags by squishing them between his arms and legs. It wasn't the most dignified pose.

He tossed a dirty look at the Camaro in the driveway that shuddered strangely.

"Ooo fenk eh sooo funneh, on't you?"

The car only shook harder.

The man grumbled, shuffled inside, and then kicked the door closed with his foot.

"Caw-wee!" he cried a little more desperately.

"Coming, Sam!"

A blonde woman came down the stars, lips curved and blue orbs shining.

"On't ooo air," he said warningly.

Laughing anyway, the woman grabbed a few of the bags and glanced inside. Her brow furrowed as she saw its' contents.

"It's from 'the guys'," Sam said by way of explanation.

Carly only seemed more confused but headed back up the stairs motioning for him to follow. As he went to go up he noticed something odd in the kitchen. One foot on the steps Sam leaned back and stared at the monstrous...thing beginning to eat up his kitchen table. He turned to Carly with an eyebrow raised.

"Should I ask?" he inquired.

Carly smiled and whispered conspiratorially, "That's the girls' base. They're planning on catching Santa but don't talk too much about it. Santa might hear you." Her voice then returned to normal. "Hurry up now. They're in their room right now but they could come out at any second."

Sam hastened after Carly to their bedroom. Inside, he closed the doors then dropped the bags onto the queen size bed within. As Sam began to pull the items out he heard the door to the girls' bedroom open. A moment later pounding footsteps and excited squeals echoed through the door. The two adults shared a secret smile.

"So, who are these from again?" Carly asked eyeing the white plastic container at least as large as a small carry-on bag she had tugged out.

Sam glanced up at her wary tone.

"Ah, that's from the 'Hatchet' and 'Mr. J'," he said, "It's full of band-aids and, ya know, things."

At Carly's 'really?' look he added, "Hey give the mech a break; he let J pick the band-aids. Camo and glow-in-the-dark, real cool."

Carly laughed, "Alright, what else is there?"

The rest of the packages were revealed to be a variety of things: there was a pair of necklaces made up of silver chains with small Autobot symbols hung on them (Bumblebee), a Wii with several dance games (Brains and Wheelie), and an electronic picture frame with casual pictures of all the Autobots plus some of the deceased Ironhide, Que, and Jazz (Optimus, "Whenever you wish to tell them."). From whom Sam had dubbed 'The Science Geeks' of the Autobots had given: gadgets (Wheeljack), Merriam Webster's Dictionary (Perceptor), and some interesting rocks (Skyfire). The Wreckers, as it turned out, decided that various alien explosives was the way to go. The other various items were: two CX6 Nerf guns (still boxed), came with a dozen packs of Nerf darts (Dino), glue, feathers and buckets (Sideswipe), paints and paper (Sunstreaker), some "kickin' tunes" as Blaster put it, and a few little things from some Nest personnel.

After taking inventory they eventually got all the presents wrapped (or thrown into the 'Never' pile or the 'Later' pile in Optimus' case) by the time dinner came around

"Put those away will you?" asked Carly. "I'm going to get dinner started."

"Yes. You woman. Make me man. Food."

Carly gave Sam a playful punch in the arm smirking at his not completely exaggerated "Oomph!"

Carly then headed out the room and down the stairs. When she got to the kitchen she could only gawk open-mouthed at the table. The dinner table stood completely surrounded by piles of blankets and pillows.

"Carrissa, Kaleena," called Carly.

Two little heads, one with short dark-brown hair and the other light-brown, poked cautiously out from one side.

"Yes?" they asked in unison.

Carly didn't know whether to sigh or laugh so instead she said neutrally, "I thought I said you could use the table not...," she flailed around for the appropriate word, "mutate it."

Kaleena may have had an apologetic expression on her face but it was gone before Carly could be sure as Carrissa began to speak.

"We couldn't just put blankets over the table!" protested Carrissa. "Then Santa would know and wouldn't come! This," she gestured to the...thing, "makes it look like gremlins. He'll never suspect!"

Kaleena nodded in agreement, "Yeah, gremlins!

Carly blanked. Gremlins? The ones the girls said stole their socks?

"Well, where do you think we're gunna eat?" Carly questioned.

Kaleena and Carrissa turned to each other then back to their mom.

"Well...," began Kaleena.

"The floor?" finished Carrissa.

This time Carly did sigh.

"Girls..."

The girls jumped in quickly shouting together, "Please, can we keep it Mom? Pleeeaaasse?"

Carly stared down into Carrissa and Kaleena's hazel and green eyes and felt her resolve waver. A few more seconds and it crumbled completely.

"Unnh, fine," groaned Carly.

Carrissa and Kaleena cheered.

"But you have to clean it up tomorrow, Christmas or no!" added Carly.

Kaleena and Carrissa gave some half-hearted complaints but otherwise didn't whine. They ducked back into the tents giggles flying out behind them.

Sam arrived behind Carly then and moved to give her a kiss when he froze, staring.

"Uh, sweetie? Is that my underwear?"

And sure enough, atop a broomstick mounted in the pile of blankets and pillows, a pair of boxers, with hearts, perched majestically.

Two little shadows peeled away from the end of the hallway darting pass the whitewashed bathroom and partially open door with snoring emanating from. They kept on past the second closed door and began down the stairwell. One of the shadows broke the golden rule of silence.

It was nothing at first, just a soft muttering, then it began to grow louder until the shadow talked like as if carrying on a conversation with no one there.

The second shadow tolerated this for about a minute as they hit the landing suddenly bathed in a soft red glow revealing the two figures to be little girls. As they went on past the landing the other girl had had enough.

"Shhhhhhhhh! You wanna get caught?" erupted one in a sudden fierce whisper.

"Sorry! It's not my fault though...it's Mr. Beetle's! I swear!" was the insistent response.

"Well, you don't have to talk back you know! Tell him to be quiet," ordered the bigger girl.

"M'kay," replied the smaller one.

The two figures continued to make their way down the stairs the muttering now gone. The smaller one, with a determined purse in her lips, went slowly feeling out each step. The larger one barreled down, albeit softly, swung around the corner into the kitchen and leaped into a pile of things. The smaller girl followed soon after giggling as the larger one "attacked" her and dragged her into the pile.

There were noises of a slight scuffle and giggles before the two reappeared peering out of the pile. Silence settled down once more. For a little while.

"Hey, Kaleena, what do you think Santa will look like?" asked the larger one.

"Well...like he always is: Fat. How 'bout you Carrissa?" returned the smaller one.

"I think he's going to be skinny and wearing a ninja suit!"

"...but, Carrissa," Kaleena began worriedly, "if he's a ninja...then what do ninjas eat? Do they like cookies?"

"Of course everybody likes cookies," declared Carrissa with absolute certainty.

"Oh...I hope he's a ninja then."

The girls laid in silence once more after that; comfortably settled inside the blanket-tent they had made earlier that day. The mish-mash of blankets and couch pillows were strewn haphazardly over and around the kitchen table which stood across from the Christmas tree. A perfect spotting and hiding spot for what they had in mind: getting a glimpse of Santa Clause.

However as the night wore on, they didn't having much luck. As it neared on towards ten-thirty at night and both girls could feel their eyelids drooping. The latest they'd ever stayed up for was nine, maybe nine-thirty, no way were they ready for the all-nighter that was sure to come.

"Hey maybe he only shows up when we're sleeping?"

A crestfallen look fell over Kaleena's face at the statement.

"But I wanna see him!"

"Yeah, I do too but if we're awake he'll never come and we won't see him anyways," Carrissa explained a little sadly.

Kaleena pouted glancing back over at the tree.

"That's a stupid rule," she grumbled.

"Well I'm getting tired so there," Carrissa replied sleepily.

As if on cue Carrissa yawned widely. Kaleena stared horrified, waiting for The Yawn to come and get her too. Kaleena tightened her jaw and pressed her lips together. It wasn't quite as intimidating as she hoped it would be as air puffed her cheeks sending Carrissa into smothered snickers. The Yawn must have agreed with Carrissa because Kaleena yawned anyway.

Carrissa clambered back inside to her sleeping bag falling asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow leaving Kaleena alone in the cheery light from the tree.

Kaleena stared out searching for monsters in the corners when something seemed to move in one corner she wished she'd brought her bunny. Or that Carrissa had stayed awake with her frying pan of awesomeness. Everything looked eerie under the multicolored light as if there were monsters hiding in the shadows.

A muttering pushed at the edge of her hearing.

Kaleena frowned.

"Go to bed, Mr. Beetle," she said.

Then she purposely shoved the voice away and scrambled back inside under the covers.

The Yawn reached out and attacked her once more opening her jaw wide before she settled into the comforter and closed her eyes...

_Carrissa laughed as she sailed to the next rooftop hot on the heels of the red-clad ninja in front of her. The bag she carried bumped against her back. It was large in comparison to her but small compared to the one the red one hauled. She smiled thinking of the great toys that lay in wait inside._

_The red ninja disappeared for a moment then reappeared a smile on his face. Carrissa was unsure how she knew that he was smiling since he wore a white mask but she had a feeling. They jumped a few dozen more houses repeating the disappear/reappear routine. Along the way the red ninja's smile grew wider and wider._

_They jumped again. This one was a soaring leap carrying them far across the neighborhood. As they flew Carrissa ate a few of the icing stars along the way. Finally, they landed on a familiar roof. Carrissa realized the house they stood on was actually her house._

Kaleena would be so jealous, _she thought with a grin._

_The red ninja motioned Carrissa over. She began to walk towards him..._

_They-no, she was in the living room. Where had the red ninja gone?_

_Carrissa glanced around. The room glowed with a strangely washed out look. Something niggled in the back of her mind but she couldn't place her finger on it. The Christmas tree, however, still glowed brightly in the corner like a lighthouse for ships lost in fog. Carrissa ignored it though and instead walked upstairs to her and her sister's room where something beckoned her. Up she went past even the creakiest stairs without a sound._

_Once there Carrissa could see nothing except the pale moonlit square shining in from the window and across her and her sister's bed. The beckoning, a pull like when she knew she shouldn't take the cookies but did anyway, tugged her to her sister's bed. It urged her to reach out towards her sister's form under the covers. She did and at her touch the covers fell flat._

_At a bell's tinkling Carrissa spun around to see her sister standing a few feet away, her back to her, framed in moonlight. A strange stuff animal...or was it a doll?...Carrissa's never seen hung from her sister's fist._

_"They're coming," she said._

_Carrissa tried to speak to ask questions. The first one being, 'Why are you awake? The red ninja would be here giving you presents if you aren't asleep. Don't you know that?'_

_After she tried, and failed, it came to her to ask exactly who 'they' was. Was it her and the red ninja? If so, her sister was behind the times, they were already here. Well, at least she was. The red ninja seemed to have disappeared._

_This time Carrissa asked 'who' and was more than a little surprised when it came out._

_The hand not grasping the doll rose, pointing in the direction of the moon._

_Carrissa stared off in the designated direction squinting._

What am I supposed to be looking at? _she wondered._

_After minutes of nothing Carrissa nearly shouted when, slowly, a spot began to grow on the moon. Blacker than the blackest black it grew and grew in a bubbling formation eclipsing out all moonlight. Fear blossomed in Carrissa as the shadows began to come alive around her writhing and reaching out. Carrissa tried to move, to scream, to do anything but she was frozen, paralytic._

_Her sister now faced her standing in the center of it all glowing. Her too-bright eyes piercing straight through Carrissa._

_"It's not over," she whispered. "They're coming. You must-!"_

_The world slowed as it tilted dumping Carrissa off the edge and into a bottomless. She fell without screaming her mouth agape with horror. Her sister stared down at her, her mouth yawning horribly wide as she screamed._

_"It's not over! They're coming! YOU MUST-!"_

_Dark liquid poured forth from somewhere on her sister's head dripping down her neck and over her shoulders. It ran in rivulets down her arm and over her hand to the tip of her pointed finger, pointed straight at her. The liquid condensed as it fell from her sister's finger shaping into a form more horrible beyond anything she'd imagined._

_Carrissa screamed then as her sister's body fell apart feeding the growing monster with red eyes. The monster took up her sister's message in an unholy wail._

_"IT'S NOT OVER! THEY'RE COMING! YOU MUST S-!"_

_Then a whispering in her ear._

"Wake up."

_Carrissa blinked. It came again._

"Wake up."

_Carrissa turned searching the inky blackness all around her. Where was it coming..._

"Wake up!"

Carrissa jerked wide awake when someone violently shook her shoulders.

"Huh? What?"

Kaleena stared down at her eyes wide motionless. For a moment Carrissa wondered if she was still dreaming when she was shaken again.

"H-hey! Cut that out!" protested Carrissa.

She shoved Kaleena's hands away and sat up glaring at her. Kaleena moved back looking unapologetic. She stuck her finger to her lips.

"Sh, listen."

Carrissa eyed Kaleena warily before actually listening.

A diminutive rumble permeated the background. It reminded Carrissa of their car when it ran idle. A quite purr overlaid with a throaty hum, the sound of safety.

"Do you hear that?" Kaleena asked eyes getting wider if even possible.

"It's...a car. So?"

Carrissa frowned unable to see where Kaleena intended to go with this. Cars stopped and idled all the time on their street. People here tended to be busy, so it was far from unusual for someone to park, leaving their car in the street, and run inside before coming back out.

Kaleena replied, "Yeah, but it's coming from the garage."

Carrissa cocked her head listening again...it did seem to be coming from the garage. Decisively, Carrissa jumped up, crawled outside the tent, and then stood on tiptoes to see through the kitchen window on the opposite wall.

"Wait for me!" squeaked Kaleena as she scrambled after.

The older girl ignored her and peered out. Carrissa saw a slim bit of their lawn to the left, lit up by the back porch light, and the garage squatted behind the house. The structure wasn't all that great considering the house it belonged to. The dark and rustic look of the would that made it up gave a sort of dreary and possibly foreboding air. The bright light that shined out from the crack below the doors, which most certainly had not been on before, gave the building a homey warm look however. Like a log cabin on a cold day.

Carrissa felt a prickle of unease.

Kaleena who'd come up beside her whined, "I can't see anything."

Carrissa almost snapped at her to be quiet only to be interrupted rudely as the engine suddenly gave a surge. Kaleena jumped and ducked missing the flashy yellow Camaro with black racing stripes that nosed its' way out the garage door and zoomed off into the night. Carrissa, however, stayed standing and watched in wonderment.

"Santa is stealing our car!" exclaimed Carrissa in a whisper.

Kaleena straightened up and peeked over the window ledge best she could, murmuring. Carrissa gaped at the open, and now dark, garage. Had she glanced over at Kaleena she would've seen her smiling.

Carrissa, however, paid no heed to her sister's oddness and instead bolted around and up the stairs screaming at the top of her lungs, "Santa stole our car! Santa stole our car! Santa stole our car!"

The younger girl barely noticed her sister's absence or shouts thoroughly involved in listening to her friend Mr. Beetle.

A few moments later, quite unsure why she did, Kaleena looked up at the sky.

"Satan's Camaro," she breathed then grinned.

**A/N:** Just some quick notes. Hatchet, as most of you may or may not know, is a nickname/codename for Ratchet. Mr. J is Jolt's codename.

Co-author: Pineapple's Fidelity


	2. Macaroni and Things

**Transformers: Edge of Humanity**

**Chapter 1: Macaroni and Things**

"Hurry up or we're going to be late!"

"Just a minute! I'm almost done!"

Kaleena hopped down the stairs intent on shoving her left foot in the opposite shoe. She would've fallen down the stairs and flat on her face had Carrissa not been running back up. Instead they collided and Kaleena landed half on her back and half against the stairwell wall behind her. It wasn't the most comfortable position. Especially, with Carrissa entangled in her legs in such a way Kaleena's backend was also half in the air.

Carrissa didn't take to having her face smashed into the adjacent wall, or her hand in a place she really rather it not be, either.

The only positive, really, was that with her feet in the air Kaleena finally noticed that she had been putting her left foot in the right shoe.

In an explosion of movement, grunts, and plenty of "would you please get your elbow out of my boob?" the two girls disentangled. Carrissa hustled Kaleena down the last steps then ran back up kicking Kaleena's shoes down to her.

"And please try not to talk to or about Mr. Beetle!" screamed Carrissa as she rushed to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"I don't mean to..." murmured Kaleena.

And really she didn't. Sometimes Kaleena simply had to respond like she had to breathe, strange as it sounded. Plus, it wasn't like Kaleena even wanted to repeat that which had remained officially dubbed: The Very Bad No Good Horribly Worst Day Ever.

Finished tying her shoes Kaleena snatched her bag and dashed outside towards the car. A car, which just happened to be a red Ferrari 458 Italia. Their Dad said he'd gotten it as a perk from his job but the girls knew better...well, Kaleena did. She heard The Buzz around that car. This meant that car was special. A Mr. Beetle kind of special. And today, she was so absolutely going to-something, or someone, shoved her to the side-not drive.

"You wish!" Carrissa cackled with glee.

Kaleena, out of frustration of never once driving the apple red vehicle, threw her hands down at her sides and cried, "Come on!"

Nonetheless, she trudged to the passenger's side and opened the door.

"'Come on' yourself," replied Carrissa as Kaleena sat down. "I'm the professional with a full license. You're just a rookie!"

Said professional sat in the driver's seat smugly "adjusting" the mirrors even though they never moved because Carrissa was the only driver.

"Well, how am I supposed to get better if I don't practice?" questioned Kaleena green eyes wide as Carrissa once again threw her ridiculously large black backpack all willy-nilly.

Carrissa's brown eyes met Kaleena's as she smirked devilishly, "On your own time."

Kaleena groaned slumping back into her seat. Carrissa started the Italia and peeled out of their driveway at completely illegal speeds.

"Son of monkey!" cried Kaleena as her hair was flung in her face and she slammed into the door.

Carrissa braked shifting the gear from reverse to drive. As she pressed the gas pedal and straightened the wheel she spared Kaleena a glance.

"'Son of monkey?'" asked Carrissa with a raised brow.

"Shut up!"

The shorthaired girl laughed as her oppositely haired sibling practically hugged the seat for dear life as she peeled out once more, at completely illegal speeds. Carrissa slowed down to the speed limit a moment later. Razzing Kaleena, however fun, was not worth a ticket. Of which, she already had a few.

Kaleena sighed and stared out the window. The sun shone as brightly as a sun could manage with gray dotting the sky. It looked like rain.

_Slag, slag. It's going to rain and it's going to be muddy._

_Worse things than mud-_

_Shut up._

Kaleena was unfazed. Though others did not speak often but they did speak enough to no longer surprise her. She rather liked the so dubbed Sunflower's voice. Rari's, Carrissa and Kaleena's car, came in close second. Kaleena wondered where Mr. Beetle had gone off to. She hadn't heard his voice for a while.

"I wonder how he's doing...," Kaleena wondered aloud.

"You mean Austin?" Carrissa replied.

Kaleena blinked then realized she'd spoken aloud. Glad she did not have to scramble for an excuse she merely nodded.

"Yeah," Kaleena said dismally.

Carrissa continued to drive like the good driver she actually was instead of the maniac speedster she liked to parade as. Not long after, the sisters arrived at the school. Finding their favorite spot they parked. Carrissa hopped out immediately dragging both bags with her. Kaleena exited more slowly.

_Late again, why are they so late?_

Kaleena sighed, "We're late, again."

Carrissa's head snapped around to stare at her.

"What? No way!"

Carrissa then checked the dashboard clock.

"Crap," said Carrissa simply.

Kaleena shrugged and muttered.

A rusty blue pickup with an equally rusty red truck bed cover pulled up beside them. The boy who hopped out seemed about their age, equal in height to Carrissa and towering over the barely five-foot-two Kaleena. However, unlike his female friends, Austin was not curvy nor did he hold lithe boyish girl figure. Instead Austin seemed all legs, arms, and sharp angles.

Slamming his truck door shut he greeted the girls, "Sup ladies?"

"Oh look, it's what's-his-face." Kaleena sighed with a woe-is-me tone directing her eyes skyward.

"Oh ha ha! Nice to see you to, Kaleena," the boy said.

Kaleena grinned in response.

Carrissa looked over at the boy taking in his unkempt dirty blond hair then tossed Kaleena her bag. Kaleena staggered and almost fell to the ground.

"Hey, Austin," replied Carrissa rolling her eyes at Kaleena.

"Why are you guys so late? You're usually here already," said Austin.

Carrissa glared at Kaleena, "Someone stayed up late then, of course, didn't want to get up this morning."

Kaleena shrugged simply. Carrissa glared harder.

The younger sister sighed then smiled. Austin was a friend, a strange friend at that, so surely she could take some liberty here?

"Well, mud is muddy and the rain makes it worse. I had to listen to Rare mediate conflict between a pretty flower and everyone on Earth," she explained casually. "You almost got incinerated last night you know."

Carrissa gawked and Austin's pale blue orbs took her in like an interesting bug.

"Kaleena!" cried Carrissa.

The other girl crossed her arms defensively, "What?"

"Simmer down, please," Austin said calmly.

"Why?" Kaleena asked again. This time hurt. Everyone always got on to her!

"'Cause, you'll melt the pavement," Austin replied straight-faced.

Kaleena burst out laughing as Rari broadcasted complete confusion. Even Carrissa snickered a little. Austin allowed himself a small smile. Behind them the school-warning bell rang with an insistence all too like a mother duck ushering her ducklings.

"Shouldn't we get inside?" Carrissa spoke up in the silence following after.

The three friends all looked at each other. They didn't have any classes together what with Kaleena in a different grade and Carrissa in band. They had little to no desire to trudge inside the school and have the teachers suck away their brains slowly (Kaleena, however always protested vehemently that Mr. Leigh was not one of them.).

"Yeah...we're all gonna get eaten by a giant spirit monster...!" Austin exclaimed jokingly.

"Wait, what?" Carrissa asked incredulously.

"No," Kaleena countered; after all spirit monsters only existed in the ever-popular anime and manga. "But it will rain in a while."

Carrissa and Austin glanced up at the grey sky.

"Yeah," said Carrissa.

They all stared at each other once more.

Finally, Austin urged them ahead, "You guys go on in. I'm gonna hang outside for a few minutes."

Kaleena hefted her bag and turned towards the school. She grumbled something just out of the other two's hearing then waved her hand in the air as a sort of reverse goodbye.

"Don't be late! Or I'll know!" she called behind her.

Carrissa shook her head and grabbed her own bag. She threw Austin a look but he was turned away now staring off to who knew where. Carrissa huffed. Something clearly had its worrying claws in the boy next to her. However, she hardly had any know-how to help with. Carrissa simply didn't deal well with people. Nonetheless, she kicked Austin in the ankle, and when he turned to her to ask why, punched him in the arm.

She'd already crossed half the way to the school before he could even muster up a response. Austin didn't take much offense. Even as he rubbed his sore arm he knew she'd meant well. She solidly retained the title of Girl-of-Action just as he had Boy-of-Talking. It was simply her form of affection...maybe.

_She could also just like hitting me_, he thought.

The bell marking the start of school rang loudly.

"Guuuhhh," he groaned tossing his head back.

He really didn't want to go to school. Really. And considering the week he'd had didn't have a right to a couple of school-less days?

I do, he thought, just not in any explainable way unless I wanna be carted off by the government.

Staring into the gray sky Austin blinked when something splashed his cheek.

"Wha...?"

More and more 'somethings', also known as raindrops, fell kamikaze style from the sky. Austin stood still as the rain continued to fall increasing into a full on pounding downpour. As the change in weather soaked through his clothes the only sign of any kind of reaction from Austin was the sound of air escaping a tire from between his teeth and bottom lip.

"Ffffffff...," Austin threw his hands in the air growling, "Okay, first Dad is shipped off, again, and then my house, and mom and then that thing...," Austin trailed off.

"That thing," he repeated

Frustration raged and roiled inside Austin causing his stomach to turn and his throat to burn. It wasn't fair. Nothing was fair or really made sense anymore. His now fisted hands shook in helplessness. He'd been so, so stupid thinking that thing would keep its word. He should've gone to his Dad but he hadn't. He'd thought, actually thought, that for once he could take care of something. Instead, he'd dug a hole too deep, sent his mother to the hospital, and gotten stuck doing things for the one creature he hated with his entire being. Pure fury overtook him at the mere thought at what that thing had done. What he wouldn't do to...Austin breathed out.

"Come on," he sighed, feeling defeated, "I was just going to go inside seriously. Couldn't have waited five minutes to rain? Five minutes?"

Austin's wrist buzzed making him jump.

_Oh, no...Not now, _please.

Another insistent buzz this time with a hint of electric shock. Austin rubbed his wrist, cringing. He glanced back at the school now wishing with all his might that he could go. Despite the foreboding air the building had, because of its gothic inspired structure, it was more welcoming than the thought of what to come.

To listen and follow the call meant he committed to whatever the Thing desired.

Austin shivered.

Last time had been so dangerously close...

This time the shock doubled him over. Austin gagged feeling his stomach spasm. He hoped that he didn't throw up what little breakfast he'd managed down. Shaking he managed to press the correct spot on his wrist. Then shivered as whatever was inside him shifted doing whatever it did to spell the small address across his arm. The meeting place.

Austin shook again this time in an unnameable ugly emotion that consumed him.

He wouldn't go.

He wouldn't.

He was not a pawn. He wasn't.

The buzz, the electric charge, surged through his body tightening his muscles and spasming his heart.

Austin fell to his hands and knees trembling.

He wouldn't...

This time he hit the ground as pure agony raced through him. When it passed...

He went.

Inside Kaleena found it hard to concentrate in her history class. For one, her teacher, Mr. Ceezar, kept droning in a monotone unusual for him. For another, worry had her stomach twisted up in knots.

Kaleena shifted in her seat once more trying to catch something from Mr. Beetle or one of his various associates again. She wanted desperately to run outside and check the parking lot for herself.

_What is going on?_ she worried.

Kaleena glanced around wishing there was a window in her classroom. Unfortunately, the classroom had originally been a computer lab, which meant the room sat near the inside of the building. Therefore, it sadly lacked any portal to the outside.

_Dang it..._

"Glad to see you're so excited for history, Kaleena."

Kaleena blinked and looked up at Mr. Ceezar. Realizing she'd spoken aloud she made an 'Oh, crap' face and went red. Quickly, she ducked her head hoping her teacher would take pity on her. He did. Instead of ridiculing her further Mr. Ceezar continued on about their lesson.

Kaleena attempted to listen, really she did, but found that ancient Rome really didn't interest her all that much. Especially when Holly kept typing up obscene comments and derogatory comments about Draco Malfoy on their little 'chat room,' a document shared over Google Docs. -A feat that would've been impossible had their teacher not had Macs everyone could use.

Thank God Mr. Ceezar taught yearbook.

The rest of the day passed by normally, Carrissa had even, like usual, forgotten a test of some sort and freaked out at lunch about it by getting a ridiculous amount of fries. The rest of the table, including Kaleena and her friends, had helped themselves, discreetly. Yet Kaleena couldn't shake the feeling of unease sitting like a solid rock in her stomach.

On the drive home Carrissa asked, "Do you know where Austin went? He wasn't in math and I think he was missing at lunch...I dunno, sometimes he doesn't come by though."

Kaleena squirmed uncomfortably looking out the window.

Carrissa glanced at her curiously, "What?"

Kaleena looked at Carrissa, "I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Carrissa asked.

Kaleena huffed and turned away, "That's the problem. I don't know. He's gone, I know that at least, but I don't know why."

Carrissa shrugged, "So Mr. Beetle isn't all-knowing. It's not that bad. And Austin probably just decided to stay with his mom, you know?"

Kaleena didn't answer. She'd almost said that it hadn't been Mr. Beetle to inform her of this but she hadn't wanted her sister to think she was even crazier. Even though her sister always said she believed her and stood up for her, Kaleena knew one of Carrissa's half-lies when she heard one. Besides, how could she explain that despite the fact that Rari didn't seem to know or care what had happened despite feeling alarmed over whatever had occurred?

A flash of yellow zoomed by.

"Isn't that...Dad's car?" Kaleena asked, eyebrow cocked and finger pointing.

Carrissa glanced up in her rearview mirror and sure enough a yellow black-striped Camaro with familiar plates continued on past behind them.

"Yeah, maybe he's getting something for mom," Carrissa responded.

"Or going to work."

Almost immediately after Rari asked Mr. Beetle, _Is Sam with you?_

Kaleena always thought that Mr. Beetle and company calling her dad Sam instead of Dad would be an important point in disproving the fact that the voices were only in her head.

_No._

Kaleena already felt assured when Carrissa shook her head fiercely, "Nuh-uh. Dad said he would be home. He could just be going to get something for Mom."

They pulled into the driveway finding it and the garage ahead empty.

Kaleena's stomach twisted as she thought, _It's okay. He's home. Mr. Beetle wouldn't lie._

The sisters exited the car, Carrissa still handling her backpack, which should be banned as an illegal weapon, without care, and entered the house.

"Daaaad!" called Carrissa.

"Here!" came the muffled response.

Relief flooded through Kaleena. He was in the study then, she thought setting her bag down.

Carrissa thunked her own school bag down atop the island tabletop. The two made their way around the kitchen grabbing differing snacks. For Carrissa, she decided a Star Wars: the Clone Wars strawberry-flavored Go-Gurt and saltine crackers with mustard was the way to go. Kaleena selected two granny smith apples, peanut butter, and the remaining chunk of cheese left in the fridge.

Kaleena settled next to her sister as Carrissa went to work on her homework with surprising intensity. Kaleena, with a lack of school work, worked on her snack. She managed to get her apple cutter partway into the apple before it got stuck. Irritably she took to second option for solving any problems: violence.

Lifting the apple cutter with stuck apple high she brought it down hard on the counter three or four times before it was snatched away.

"Hey, hey!" chided her dad behind her. "Don't blame the apple for your shortcomings."

"Hey!" objected Kaleena to her father's jibe and her sister's following snickers.

She whirled to face Sam holding her hand out expectantly, "Give it back!"

"So you can damage my counters and encourage an apple uprising?" questioned Sam with a raised brow. He leaned over her and smoothly pushed the apple the rest of the way through the cutter, producing six even pieces on Kaleena's plate. "Nah."

Kaleena rolled her eyes then dug into the peanut butter eagerly with her apple slices.

"Hey, Dad?" asked Carrissa.

"Hm?" Sam said snatching a couple mustard crackers.

"If you're here how was your car driving down the street earlier?" asked Carrissa.

The two girls watched transfixed in the way one would when they saw a terrible wreck as their dad adopted a deer in the headlights expression before promptly choking on his stolen mustard crackers. Pounding his chest and downing the milk Carrissa offered he smiled.

"Whaddya mean you saw my car?"

"Driving home from school," replied Kaleena. She stared down at her now empty milk glass. Why had Carrissa offered hers? "It went past us toward that way." She waved off in the wrong direction.

Carrissa nodded focused on Sam.

"But you're here!"

Sam shrugged snatching a napkin and wiping his face.

"I sent it in to get fixed," their dad responded.

Kaleena gasped looking aghast, "What was wrong with it?"

While Carrissa deadpanned, "By itself?"

"No, of course not," said Sam waving her question away. "The mechanic came to pick it up."

Carrissa looked dubious but Kaleena saved Sam from an awkward question by snatching Carrissa's milk and attempting to down it in one swallow. Sam decided not to intervene as Kaleena got one half and then the Carrissa got the other. All fair in his book.

Turning away he tuned out their good-natured squabbling and headed back up the staircase toward his study. When he got there and the video chat screen showed an empty chair he wasn't worried. Most likely Lennox had gotten bored waiting or, like the brain dead gnat he showed himself to emulate occasionally, had been distracted by something that would be considered a near forty year-old-man's equivalent of a three-year-old's 'shiny'.

A smile flickered across Sam's face at the thought of Wheeljack, their resident Autobot equivalent of a brain dead gnat. That smile turned into a frown when his eyes landed on the files pertaining to the meeting he and Will had been holding prior to his girls arriving home.

It wasn't exactly a dark, doom and gloom matter, but it was disturbing in a sixth sense sort of way. Something was going on here. Something just out of reach. Always in the peripheral. Will agreed to having this feeling as well.

Running a hand over his face he typed a short message in the small text chat window next to the webcam one, telling Will they'd pick up tomorrow.

Closing everything and shutting off the computer he went back downstairs to make dinner for the girls. Easy-as-pie-macaroni sounded good.

Not long after as the family dug into their meal Carly came through the door. Setting down her bag and keys she raised a brow at the three now staring at her. She glanced down at their plates and asked, "Sam...cooked?"

The sisters only nodded.

"Well, don't sound so surprised," Sam said sarcastically.

Carly looked at him, "You burnt jelly, honey. Jell-O. We lost my favorite cooking bowl because we couldn't get it all out."

Sam thrust an accusing finger at her, "It was _sabotaged_ Jell-O!"

Another look.

"Okay, okay," placated Sam. "It wasn't sabotaged. But! I'll have you know that while I'm no gourmet chef I can mix up some mean macaroni."

Carrissa bobbed her head exclaiming, "The cheesiest!"

Kaleena stared at Carrissa's plate, "You just regurgitated your food..."

"Did not!"

Carrissa shoveled the fallen macaroni back into her mouth.

"Ew," murmured Kaleena, looking perplexed.

Carly and Sam smiled at their children. Then looked at each other. Sam gave a meaningful flick of his eyes toward the oven. Carly rolled her own eyes and headed there to get her own plateful of dinner.

"It is especially cheesy macaroni, I suppose," Carly said, "But what can you expect from a cheesy guy?"

Sam laughed.


	3. Missing

**Transformers: Edge of Humanity**

**Chapter 2: Missing**

Carrissa stared blankly at her ceiling. Night had fallen and she should really be getting to sleep, what with school tomorrow and all, but her racing thoughts kept her wide awake.

_If this was a cartoon_, she thought,_ there'd be a pretty boss hamster running my brain-wheel._

Carrissa sighed turning to her side. This brought her face to face with her sister who slept contentedly with her mouth wide open. Kaleena gave a light snore before exhaling her less than pleasant smelling night breath right into Carrissa's face. Carrissa scrunched said face up and rolled to her other side.

Kaleena had claimed, as she scrambled into Carrissa's one-person twin bed, that nightmares plagued her and she needed someone to sleep with. Carrissa knew, however, that Kaleena's rare nightmares could only be solved by snuggling with their mother. Carrissa also knew in all likelihood this meant that she hadn't been discreet in waking from her own nightmares. Kaleena probably knew of them and this hogging of Carrissa's bed was a stab at comfort. A poor one at that.

Carrissa wondered how Kaleena could be so calm about everything. Did she care at all that their friend was missing? Gone? She sure didn't act like it going on as normal her normal crazy self. Kaleena didn't stop in the hallways suddenly overcome with worry and dread. Kaleena didn't find trouble in focussing on her teachers when all she wanted to do was worry for Austin. Kaleena didn't visit Austin's mother in place of him. Kaleena didn't car-

Enough, Carrissa told herself, Kaleena cares. She's just...different.

Yet, couldn't Kaleena show a little concern? It's been three days! Three!

Carrissa sighed shifting to her back. Three days...

She fingered the necklace with the strange face-like symbol that she had gotten for Christmas years ago.

_Three days..._

Carrissa jerked awake to the sound of her alarm blaring the news at her. A specific news channel that she had set when Austin had gone missing.

Carrissa listened intently as Kaleena rolled off the bed with a groan. The dark-haired girl felt disappointed when there was no more news or reminders of the missing Austin. She supposed with a mother in the hospital and a father overseas there was no one to really push the issue. This thought brought Carrissa up short.

A father overseas...

Did Robert even know?

Carrissa shivered at the thought.

That would really, really suck, thought Carrissa as she headed through her morning routine. Wake up, dress, breakfast, brush teeth, beat Kaleena to the car, rinse and repeat, if necessary, then off to school.

Carrissa sighed and plonked her head into her arms. The first four hours of school had passed by in a blur but now, in biology, time dragged. The video about sex and the human brain that Mrs. Hunger had put on certainly didn't help.

Carrissa's eyes roamed the room in distraction. Taking in the boredom and 'do-not-want' looks the other students tossed one another she settled on staring discreetly out the window. A drab view of grey skies, roiling clouds, and rain splattering against the pane greeted her. Carrissa grimaced. The rain had been going on and off for days with no sign of letting up. Rather depressing, really.

The soft 'sh-nik' of a door being opened alerted the class to a visitor. The students perked up in expectation. Some looked toward the door and others cast discreet glances at one another. Finally, the door cracked open and a dark-skinned head, belonging to a man, poked through.

"Mrs. Hunger?" he rumbled, though his baritone was hardly loud.

Mrs. Hunger's head snapped up from where she graded papers. Seeing the visitor she waved him in. He came in closing the door as quietly as he'd opened it.

Carrissa eyed the man. He looked normal enough, a little on the tall side, if one ignored the pristine suit he wore. She would've signed him off as one of Mrs. Hunger's more interesting friends...but something just wasn't right. The man radiated a serious aura, definitely no-nonsense. Mrs. Hunger lived for nonsense. Plus, he didn't have the look of a friend visiting a friend. His face remained distinctly reserved, if polite, instead of an open and warm look.

The students murmured amongst themselves in hushed whispers filling the air with a low-pitched drone. Mrs. Hunger gave them a sharp rebuke with her eyes which they ignored. The teacher would've spoken to them then, had the man not reached her garnering her attentions.

Someone jabbed Carrissa sharply in the side.

Carrissa jumped uttering a muffled, "Ow!"

Whipping around to face the culprit Carrissa found an unapologetic Holly. The blue-eyed girl smirked brushing her light hair over her shoulder as it slid into her face.

"Holly!" hissed Carrissa. "That was not cool!"

Holly shrugged, "It got your attention, didn't it?"

The dark-haired girl 'harumphed' in response.

Holly sniggered then said, "But, seriously, who do you think he is?"

This time Carrissa shrugged answering, "I dunno."

"Well," Holly broke off into hushed snickers, "You were looking at him pretty with a pretyy interesed look there..." She trailed off into more smothered laughter.

Carrissa frowned at Holly trying to understand what was so funny. Finally with all the subtleness of a brick to the face it dawned on her.

"Oh my god! You pervert!" Carrissa whisper-screamed, smacking Holly.

"Carrissa!"

The two girls froze and turned to the teacher, eyes wide. Mrs. Hunger pointed at Carrissa and jerked her head towards the man.

"Carrissa, Mr. Brynes, would like to speak with you," explained Mrs. Hunger.

Carrissa nodded. Burning under the stares and whispers from the rest of the class, Carrissa kept her head down to avoid the questioning looks as she gathered her things. She made her way to the front of the classroom where Brynes stood.

Brynes smiled in what Carrissa supposed he thought was a comforting manner. Really it just looked like a grimace. Brynes laid a hand on Carrissa's shoulder and lead her out of the classroom. She looked back at Holly before she went out the door. The other girl gave her the 'what did you do?!' face. Carrissa gave a small hapless shrug just before the door closed behind her.

Once it did Brynes dropped his head and walked briskly ahead of Carrissa. Carrissa glanced up and down the hall before following uncomfortably behind him. In the classroom Brynes had seemed cold but in a more politely distant way. Now that she was alone with him Carrissa felt as if she trailed behind an iceberg. The feeling froze her throat keeping any questions from escaping her curious thoughts.

First of all, who was this man? Why had Mrs. Hunger allowed her to go with him? Carrissa felt certain she'd never seen him at the school before. Why did he want to talk to her? Was he perhaps a detective? Was he here to talk about Austin? Hope flowered in Carrissa's chest at the thought. Finally. Finally, someone other than her, a mere sixteen-year-old girl, would be doing something.

Carrissa viciously stamped the feeling down. No reason to get her hopes up. She had no idea who this Brynes was. He could be anyone or no one. Perhaps he was just a fluke to tell her she will never see her friend from kindergarten ever again.

Her sobering thoughts were broken with surprise when she and Brynes arrived at the front of her school and she saw her mother standing there. Carly's lips were pursed in that worrying way of hers and her eyebrows drawn anxiously.

"Mom?" called Carrissa just as Brynes greeted, "Mrs. Witwicky."

Carly closed the distance between them and placed a hand upon Carrissa's shoulder and drew her child towards her. Carly glanced over Carrissa as if looking for injury before turning a suspicious glare onto Brynes. Brynes returned it cooly. Only watching as Carrissa questioned her mother about their situation.

Carly, looking pained to admit it, replied, "I don't know. What is going on...?" She paused allowing the man to introduce himself.

"Brynes."

"Brynes," repeated Carly still questioning.

"I'm here on special case which happens to involve your daughter," answered Brynes vaguely.

Carly's eyes narrowed, "What kind of a case?"

"A missing persons case," was the reply, equally vague.

"Austin?" asked Carly and Carrissa at the same time. The two shared a glance.

Carly continued on, "And who are you? I know every officer around here and this hasn't yet gotten serious for any big leagues..."

Brynes said nothing in return keeping his stiff stance, hands clasped in front of him.

The lack of an answer put Carly's hackles up. She'd been leery from the start. Something in the back of her mind had been begging for attention like an itch she couldn't scratch. She knew this man. Not personally in name but in the way he talked and acted. He was one used to having unquestionable authority and power.

"Mr. Brynes?" pressed Carly voice going hard.

Carrissa, ignorant of her mother's tone or words, ignored the tug at her hand. She was anxious to hear what this man might have to say but in the back of her mind she too felt something wrong. For once, why wasn't Kaleena with them? Austin had been her friend too.

Brynes seemed to make a decision for he let go a deep breath, not quite a sigh for it was silent and said, "Ma'am, I don't know if you're aware but your daughter's friend is in quite a bit of trouble. If you would please accompany me back to your house? We will meet there with your husband and your other daughter along with my partners. They've already been collected."

"Why isn't Kaleena with us?" asked Carrissa. "She should be here not home."

Carly glanced at Carrissa mouth closing. She had been about to ask just who this man thought he was but found more importance in why her daughter had been "collected", as Brynes put it, separately. Carly gave Brynes a questioning look.

"Your daughter was out joyriding it seems."

Carly shook her head, "She wouldn't. She doesn't have a license."

"Joyriding? With whose car?" Carrissa asked incredulously.

Brynes paused then said, "A red Ferrari 458 Italia, I think it was. Quite the fancy thing for a child to have."

Carly gaped. Dino had taken Kaleena joyriding?! That Autobot was in for a_ big_ ass-chewing when she saw him.

Carrissa also gaped, but for another reason. Kaleena had gone joyriding _without_ her and_ with her car!_ (Well, with Dino, who was only sort of her car.)

"Even if she did, which I doubt, how would you know? Who are you?" asked Carly scathingly.

Brynes smiled magnanimously. That coupled with his following words had a cold rock settling in Carly's stomach.

"You Witwickys have been on our radar for quite a while, Mrs. Witwicky."

"You've been watching us?" Carrissa gasped, thinking of all the times she sang in the shower.

Brynes said nothing. Instead he gestured toward the front doors of the school, "Shall we go?"

Mother and daughter reluctantly headed out, tauter than bowstrings, with Brynes following leisurely behind.

With stiff backs Carly and Carrissa entered a red minivan parked out in front of the school. As Carly started the car she watched Brynes enter his own vehicle parked ahead of her. Carrissa would've as well, responding subconsciously to her mother's emotions, but she was too nervous. Instead, she buckled silently, dumped her things to the floor, and, deciding the floor was the most interesting thing around, stared at that.

Carrissa hardly noticed them pull around Brynes black car or the following journey, too absorbed in her suddenly troubled thoughts. This man had something to do with Austin but, as her mother had pointed out, he wasn't a resident officer and (though in her mind it was completely serious) it hadn't gotten serious enough for anything like FBI. There had been no signs of foul play or evidence of any struggle. In fact authorities were on the verge of labeling Austin a runaway.

Carrissa bit her lip. Brynes made it sound as if he were simply investigating a case but the strangeness of it all made Carrissa feel as if there was something more to it. If there was, however, what exactly was this "more"? What had Austin gotten himself into?

* * *

><p><strong>Merland01: <strong>Sorry this was so long in coming.

**Pineapple's Fidelity: **I'm not. It was it is man. Though slow plot is slow and I do admit sheepishness to that.


	4. Intermission

Transformers: Edge of Humanity

Chapter 3: Intermission

It was strange how even in her own home on her own couch where she'd always felt welcome she could feel so unwanted. Like such a stranger. Kaleena supposed that the looming presence of the agents, dressed in crisp stereotypical black suits with white undershirt, and their seemingly hostile glare (Don't ask how she thought she knew she was glaring. It was just something about the glasses) helped. Still, you would think Kaleena would feel like _she_ was the one having her home invaded. As was true. Nonetheless, Kaleena felt deep in her bones that she was a trespasser. She didn't like it one bit.

The voices, especially Mr. Beetle, bristled under the presence of the men. For the past few hours they'd been going back and forth and what to do about them. They talked about things that made her head spin. Government conspiracies, secret agencies, and how perhaps they could skew it as an infringement upon a foreign liaison. They used her father's name in conjunction with that only deepening her confusion. Since when was dorky Sam a liaison? There was confusion in their conversations however. Debate on how much the men knew of them and whether it was related to them.

The green-eyed girl wondered how that would be. The voices were comforting and she did not regret them but she often wondered why they spoke as if they had actual presence in the world. Which they didn't.

Her attention zoomed back to the conversation at hand. They were discussing Austin again. Asking the same questions over and over again in several thousand ways. As if 'I don't know' could somehow change into the answers to the life. She looked away disinterestedly and zoned out once more. She registered Carrissa sending her a disgusted glare.

Kaleena ignored it. The voices said Austin was alive, if disgruntled at his situation. The voices were always right. Even the dark and heavy ones.

_-know something? -have to-something. Where could he be? Decepticons-attack on-lost-Epps_

Kaleena winced when the voices started to run together and garble. For some reason when they left her it was painful. Almost like someone blaring a harsh tone directly into her ear. The silence they left was ringing and empty. A flash of yellow and red out behind the living room blinds drew her eye. Had it been her imagination?

Strangely, her mind flew back to a Christmas Eve several years ago. The memory was unusually faded unlike the majority which she could recall with crystal clear clarity. They had stayed up, Carrissa and her, waiting for Santa in their awesome fort. There'd been...some noise and then...

She frowned when the memory slipped away like oil on water. Then dismissed it. If she couldn't remember it mustn't have been that important.

Light streaming in from behind the blinds played interestingly on the ceiling. Kaleena watched the dance with rapt attention. The questions, answers, and general hubbub from those around her faded away completely. The yellow light was beautiful. It was lively and happy. It made her smile. It made her want to hum. So she did.

It was strange tune that was mostly in her head. All the notes didn't quite make it off her tongue. It seemed beyond her ability to make them. Oh well. She continued the small tune pondering how she'd come up with such a thing. It was alien and foreign. Something she doubted she'd ever heard before. Yet it was more familiar than any other she'd ever heard.

The whole time Kaleena hummed, head resting her hands and pointer fingers tapping to the beat she wished the light shone blue instead.


End file.
